The Lowdown: iPhone 1.0 vs. iPhone 3G

A lot of people are still teetering on the edge six days after the iPhone 3G's release, wondering if they should or shouldn't shell out the measly $199 for it. This is especially true for those who went through the highs and lows of the original iPhone's one year of stardom. Fortunately, Ars Technica came up with a great review of the iPhone 3G and how it compares to its predecessor. Here's some of the things they found, along with my own observations:

Accessories: The original iPhone came bundled with one more thing than the iPhone 3G: the dock. The iPhone 3G came with the other three accessories: headphones, an iPhone/iPod USB cord, and a power brick. The iPhone 3G's headphones seemed to be an inch longer (which is a good thing), and the power brick seemed much smaller this time around. Not a really big deal here.

The screen: Many users complained of a yellower screen on the iPhone 3G during the first few days after its release, especially when keeping the iPhone in a case. It is true that the iPhone 3G's colors are warmer, and that keeping it in a case may “fool” the iPhone into thinking that it's darker out there, hence upping the brightness a tad bit. Software has since been released to correct the “yellow fever,” although most users probably won't find it too much of a bad thing.

The camera: What hasn't been said about it yet? The camera is the same old 2-MP thing without optical zoom or flash. The iPhone 3G does have a slightly-recessed lens this time around, possibly protecting it from scratches. Saving grace, five yards, move along.

The 3G: The original iPhone ran on EDGE, which did the job well enough. But critics have been asking for 3G even before the first iPhone came out, and kudos goes to Apple for the upgrade. Ars Technica noted that the new iPhone registered twice (sometimes even three times) the network speed of EDGE. For “a small computer that takes calls,” this is a big improvement.

This is barely scratching the surface of what Ars Technica covered. For everything you need to know about how the iPhone 3G matches up to the first-generation iPhone, read up on Ars Technica's full review here.